Game apparatus.



J. J. HTZGERALD. GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 12513.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANODRAPH co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

J. J. FITZGERALD. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22.1913.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915'.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

F12? gar/am WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

JAMES J'. FITZGERALD, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME APPARATUS. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, rain.

Application filed November 22, 1913. Serial No. 802,501.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. FITZGERALD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and has for its object to provide a device of such class, in a manner as hereinafter set forth for playing an unusually interesting and scientific game entitled Hydrero, due to the fact that the game, when playing the same includes an attack from pieces or members having the representations of aerial, marine and sub-marine vessels and mines and adefense set up by pieces or members having the representations of aerial, marine and sub-marine vessels and mines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus including a playing field formed of a series of rows of equilateral triangular playing divisions over which are adapted to be moved or shifted two sets of playing pieces or members, the

iembers of each set being suitably designated, each set containing an object piece for the members of the other set to attack and take, the members of each set that are not similarly designated having different modes of move with respect to each other over the playing field.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically de' scribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figures 1 and 1 when taken together illustrate a game board. for a playing field in accordance with this invention and further having arranged thereon the playing pieces or members prior to the commencement of the game, Fig. 2 is a View illustrating a form of playing piece or member, Fig. 3 1s a View of an indicator piece, Figs. 4:, 5, and 6 are views of blocks representing respectively a ifort, wireless station, wireless torpedo sta lOIl'.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A denotes a game board provided with rows of equ lateral triangular spaces and each row having alternate spaces constituting playing d visions. The playing divisions are colored alike and the playing divisions of each row are spaces differently colored from the other spaces of the row. The playing field consists of nine rows of eight playing divisions. The playing divisions are designated consecutively from 1 to 72.

The game apparatus includes two sets of playing pieces or members and each set includes twenty-four pieces or members. By way of example, a player piece or member is illustrated in Fig. 2, and is designated by the reference character B. As illustrated the player piece B is in the form of an equilateral triangular-shaped block, but it is obvious that the player piece can be of any suitable form.

The game apparatus further includes two triangular-shaped blocks indicated by the reference character a and each of which represents a fort or is suitably designated as a fort and one of said blocks is positioned upon the space .7) exteriorly of the playing field. A fort associates with a set of playing pieces or members. i

The game apparatus further includes six triangular-shaped blocks designated by the reference characters 655, e, f, g, i i, the blocks cl, 6, f, 9 have the representation of a wireless telegraph station or are designated as such. The block 6 is positioned upon the space j, the block d upon the space is, the block 7 upon the space Z, and the block 9 upon the space m. The spaces 7' and m are exterior of the playing field. The blocks (Z and e associate with one set of playing members of pieces while the blocks 7, g, associate with the other set of playing pieces or members. The block it is the representation of a wireless torpedo station or is designated as such and said block it is positioned upon the space 72, and the block 6 is the representation of a wireless torpedo station or designated as such and is positioned upon the space 0. The spaces a and 0 are exterior of the playing fie1d.- The block h associates {indicated by gthQ reference character D, one

aeromine indicated at E; one wireless aeromine indicated at F; one dreadnaught indicated at H; one gunboat indicated atG; one observation mineindicated at K; one wireless sub-.mar ine boat indicated at L; .one-sub-marine torpedo boat indicated at I; .one electro-contact mine indicated at J one torpedodestroyer indicated at M; one gunboat indicated at N; oneaerial torpedo ship indicated :at 0; one armored cruiser indicated at P5 one turret battleship indicated at Q; one flagship indicated at B;

one hydro-aerial warship indicated at S;

one protected cruiser indicated at U; one

aerial destroyer indicated at T and one super dreadnaught indicated at V.

The representation of :two pairs of shore batteries are provided at NV, and each battery has, an indicator ;Z associated therewith. The indicators are in the form of oblong strips and when placed upon a battery, it indicates ;that the {battery has not {been silenced, but when removed, that the battery has been silenced.

7 :lhefplaying piece of each set which represents'the flag ship .is the objective piece to be captured.

The pieces of one set are positioned when starting the game upon the following playing division, the pieces C upon the divisions 18, 22 and 24; the pieces D upon divisions 17, 20 and 23; the piece E upon the'division 19; the piece 2F upon the division 21; the piece G upon the division 9; the piece M.

-upon the division 15; the piece L upon the division 14; the piece L upon the division 13; the piece J upon the division 12; the piece'I upon the division 11; the piece H upon the division 10; the piece N upon the division 16; the piece 0 upon the division 1; the piece EU upon thedi-vision 2; the piece Q .upon the. division 3 the piece It upon the division 4; the piece S upon the division 5; the piece T upon the division6; the piece P upon thedivision 7 the piece V upon the division 8.

Thepieces of the other set when positioned for the .game are placed upon the following playing divisionzerthe piece V upon the d v s o 7 the piece U llp thespace 7.1; th 11 1 1 hs .d iSiQ he piece Senor-irrad ation59-; e' nier fi upan th positioned to start the game, three rows ol playing dlvlsions are arranged.

division 68; the piece Q upon the division 67 the piece P upon the division 66; the piece 0 upon the division 65; the piece N upon the division 64; the piece M upon the division 63; the piece L upon the division 62; the piece K upon the division 61; the piece J in the division 60; the piece I in the division 59; the piece H in the division 58; the piece G in the division 57; the piece 0 in the division 56; the piece E in the division 51; the pieces D in the divisions 55, 52, 49; and the piece F in the division 53. The indicators Z are positioned as shown upon the shore batteries.

When the pieces of each set are positioned in the foregoing manner for the starting of .the game, the blocks a, Z), cl, 6, f, g, h, 2', are arranged in the manner as hereinafter referred to and when the wireless stations are out of commission or the fort silenced, the blocks are removed, that is to say, if a wireless station is out of commission it is removed, or when a fort is out of commission it is removed.

The pieces of one set take a piece of another .set somewhat along the lines of chess. Between the sets of playing pieces when zThe manner in which the playing pieces of each set move is as follows :The play ing pieces G and V both move either trans- .versely or horizontally of the playing field and over any desired number of vacant playing divisions. The playing pieces P and U move diagonally at an angle of (30 over any number of unoccupied playing divisions. Playing piece P moves to the right, the playing piece U to the left. Both move one division in a diagonal direction opposite to their direction of movement as first stated. The playing pieces 0, S and T move one playing. division diagonally at an angle of then one at an obtuse angle of 150. Playing piece b has in addition a similar move horizontally. Playing pieces 0, S and Tare placed on playing divisions so that no matter how moved in the manner assigned to them, they never meet on the same playing division. Playingpieccs N and G move one plaving division diagonally at an angle of 60 2130 the left or right. Playing pieces M, I and Q move diagonally at an angle of 30 over to the left or right over any number of unoccupied playing divisions. The playing piece I can move as under the playing piece on the first playing division in the path of its movement, if said playing division be occupied. Playing piece Q moves also one playing division horizontally. Playing pieces M, I and Q are placed on playing divisions so that, in their assigned move they never .come on the same division. Playing piece 5L moves two or three playing divisions diagonally in either direction, the

move being as under the playing pieces in the adjacent playing divisions. The movement. of the playing piece J is limited to the fifth row of playing divisions from the shore and its movement is dependent upon one Wireless station. The playing piece is de stroyed when both wireless stations are destroyed. The move is to indicate traveling under a playing piece on an adjacent division to blow another piece up. Playing piece R which is the objective piece attacked or protected by the defense moves on adj acent playing divisions of one color and can also move on the other triangular division of a difierent color. For example if the playing field is divided into black and white, the playing piece R moves an adjacent division whether black or white, but limited to one division in its movement. The playing piece R is limited in its movement to the black playing divisions when one mine is left and it takes any playing piece on an adjacent playing division. Playing pieces 0 and D move one division forward at a time diagonally. To avoid a playing piece or a playing division within range of the coast defenses, they may move as over and underan adjacent playing division diagonally or transversely, but take one division diagonally only. Playing piece C can countermine aerial mines only. Playing piece D can countermine floating or submarine mines only. Pieces C and 1) when reaching first row of playin divisions can move'transversely one plaving division. The shore batteries have a range of two playing divisions in a horizontal direction to destroy, when their associated. pieces do not intervene. The forts have a range of two playing divisions forward diagonally to destroy when their associated pieces do not intervene. The wireless torpedo has a range of two playing divisions at an angle of and two horizontally to destroy when their associated pieces do not intervene. Playing pieces F, E, K and J representing mines do not move. The playing piece which represents the wireless aeromine is dependent upon the two wireless stations and is put out of commission if one wireless station is destroyed. The piece registering the aeromine is independent of wireless stations, but under control. The wireless aeromine and aeromine can destroy aerial craft only. Said aerial craft cannot pass over a playing division occupied by an aerial mine. The submarine mines are controlled from shore and are de stroyed bv sub-marine scouts only, unless the player wishes to fire a mine when the enemys ship passes over. The mines can be fired but once, but the player fires only when he considers passing ship of more value than mine. Marine and sub-marine craft cannot pass over the playing divisions occupied by the submarine mines. Goaet defenses and wireless stations can be destroyed by aerial, marine, or sub-marine craft. Any playing piece in its assigned move can take any coast defense piece if it is positioned outside of the range of the defensepiece when no pieces are interposed in the path of movement of the playing piece.

What I claim is l. A game apparatus comprising a playing field having seventy-two playing divisions arranged in rows, two sets of playing pieces, each set consisting of twenty-four and the pieces of each set representing aerial, marine and sub-marine vessels and mines.

2. A game apparatus comprising a pla ving field formed of rows of similar playing divisions, two sets of playing pieces of equal numbers associated with said playing fields and each set representing aerial, marine and sub-marine vessels and mines, said playing field having associated therewith the representations of shore batteries, blocks representing forts and wireless stations, and indicators associated with said batteries.

3. A game apparatus comprising a playing field having seventy-two playing divisions arranged in rows, two sets of playing pieces, each set consisting of twenty-four and the pieces of each set representing aerial,

marine and sub-marine vessels and mines, said playing field having assoclated there- 'with the representation of shore batteries,

wireless stations and forts, and indicators associated with said forts, wireless stations and shore batteries.

4. A game apparatus comprising a playing field divided into rows of triangular spaces numbering seventy-two, the spaces of each row being alternately colored dividing said spaces into playing divisions, the playing divisions of each row being difierently colored from the other spaces of the row and two sets of playing pieces associated with said field, each set including twenty-four pieces, the pieces of each set representing aerial, marine and sub-marine vessels and mines, said playing field having associated therewith the representation of shore batteries, blocks representing forts and wireless stations, and indicators associating with said shore batteries.

5. A game apparatus comprising a playing field formed of seventy-two triangular playing divisions and two sets of playing pieces associated with said field, each set consisting of twenty-four members.

6. A game apparatus comprising a playing field divided into rows of sixteen triangular spaces, the spaces of each row being divided into eight playing divisions, and two sets of playing pieces associated with said field, each set consisting of twenty-four elements. v

7. A game apparatus comprising a playing field, playing elements associated there gular field having inner and outer rows of with and representing war crafts, two sets of stationary elements associated with said playing divisions and two sets of playing elements, each set including a plurality of movable members shiftable upon all of said playing divisions and'a plurality of station- 7 ary members normally mounted within the field upon the mner row of playing d visions.

10. A game apparatus comprising a rectangular field having inner .and outer rows of playing divisions and two sets of playing elements, each set including a plurality of movable members shifta'ble upon all of said playing j divisions, and'further including a plurality of stationary members, some of said stationary members being normally mounted withinthe field upon the inner row or playing divisions, and the remainder of ,said stationary members normally mounted upon said field exteriorly of said rows of inner and outerdivisions.

11. A game apparatus comprising a rectangular fieldr having rows of playing divisions and two sets ofplaying elements associated with said rows of playing divisions, each set including 20 movable and 4 stationary members.

12. A game apparatus comprising a rectangnlar field having rows of playing divisions, and two sets of playing elements associated with said field and divisions, each set including a plurality of members, shiftable upon all of said divisions, and each set further including a plurality of stationary members, certain of which are normally mounted upon certain of the playing divisions and the other of which is normally mounted upon said field exteriorly of said playing divisions.

13. A marine war game apparatus comprising a field having rows of playing divisions, playing members provided with conventional indications to constitute forts, wireless torpedo stations, and wireless stations, said members arranged exteriorly of said rows of playing divisions, shiftable playing members movable over all of said playing divisions and provided with conventional means to constitute marine and submarine war craft, and stationary playing members normally mounted upon certain of said playing divisions and provided with conventional means to constitute mines.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES J. FITZGERALD.

Witnesses NICHOLAS L. Boeim, MAX H. SnoLovrrz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oflatents.

Washingtonfl). C. 

